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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27867678">Flustered</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/15dogs/pseuds/15dogs'>15dogs</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cedric Diggory Lives, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M, One Shot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:13:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,949</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27867678</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/15dogs/pseuds/15dogs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>You’re cedric’s best friend and you realize you have feelings for him so you want to ask him to the yule ball</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cedric Diggory/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Flustered</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>cross-posted from tumblr (@15-dogs)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>One week. One week until the Yule Ball and you still hadn’t mustered up the courage to ask Cedric. It was a little bit pathetic in your opinion seeing as he was your best friend, but you just couldn’t do it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A couple months prior, Cedric casually mentioned that he’d be entering the Triwizard Tournament. Naturally, you freaked out on him, begging him not to enter. Every single moment of every single day you would hound him about it, saying you couldn’t see him risk his life to prove something. Fortunately, he relented and decided not to put his name in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, what he said to you that night after your wave of relief had struck worry in your heart: “Merlin, (Y/N), if I didn’t know any better I’d say you fancy me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His teasing was like a slap in the face. How could you not have noticed before? You were mad about the boy! But instead of admitting that to him and giving him the satisfaction, you simply let out a nervous laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a known fact to all of your friends that you got easily flustered. An over-talker, if you will. Like in your 2nd year you had fallen madly in love with the Head Boy. So one day when you got lost on your way to classes, he offered to help you and you told him that you got new shoes that you were almost too excited to break in and you were really happy with the uniform’s choice in footwear and what brand are these anyway? Needless to say, it wasn’t your proudest moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That fear was the reason why you were absolutely not excited in any way, shape, or form to sit with Cedric during History of Magic. Your heart pounded in your chest, increasing speed as you settled in next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What took you so long?” he asked. “I haven’t seen you all day!” You rolled your eyes at him as you fished your parchment from your bag.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One class, Cedric. It was one class that we didn’t have together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your point being?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A smirk tugged at your lips as you turned to look at him, but his close proximity to your face had your breath catching in your throat. You clenched your jaw, hoping not to say something stupid. Unfortunately, you weren’t so lucky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you see, before I had Divination prior to this― a class which you don’t have― and that is about 45 minutes long on Mondays. On Wednesdays, however, that is quite the different story! I have a double then so-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do I make you nervous?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Your body froze. Why couldn’t you be quiet for once? You slowly turned your head towards Cedric who eyed you lazily, his chin resting in his palm, a grin on his face. You internally groaned at his handsomeness, scolding yourself for not just telling him straight out how you felt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead, you cleared your throat and said, “What would give you the impression?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cedric chuckled and sat up, shaking his head. “Nothing, love, nothing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Only five more days and you still hadn’t said a word about the Yule Ball to Cedric. No, rather than risking you running your mouth at him again, you had taken to avoiding him and you did it like a champ. Switching seats in classes, picking up extra credit assignments, eating your meals in the kitchens. It was all fine and dandy until Cedric picked up on it by the second day; and you </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> thought that you were in the clear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You spoke to Professor McGonagall about an essay that you didn’t do quite well on after class, assuming that Cedric had filed out with the rest of the group.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think that you could use some extra help,” McGonagall claimed. She looked over your shoulder, waving someone on from behind you. You wished you hadn’t turned around. “Mr. Diggory is one of my top students and I’m sure that he’d be willing to provide tutoring to you, wouldn’t you, Mr. Diggory?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cedric nodded profusely. “Absolutely, professor. You know, with classes over for the day, we can get started now. Do you mind if Miss (Y/L/N) and I use the classroom, professor?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m actually busy!” you practically shouted. McGonagall jumped while Cedric eyed you with confusion, causing you to cringe. “Sorry, I, um, am helping Professor Trelawney with some of her younger students today. Maybe another time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Your eyes glued to the floor as you scurried from the room, blocking out Cedric’s cries after you. It wasn’t until you made it to Trelawney’s room that you felt like you could breathe again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Three days!” your friend Beatrice reminded you. “If I have to see you pine over Diggory three more days then I might as well lose it. Ship me off to Azkaban!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be quiet, would you!” you whispered hotly, tugging at her robe sleeve. “Anyone could hear you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Merlin, that would be a miracle! Then someone could solve this for you― they could just tell the boy that you fancy him instead of going back and forth on an obvious decision.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You scoffed. “Obvious decision? And what would that be?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you being thick on purpose? Just tell him how you feel! Poor boy is mad about you anyway.” You stopped Beatrice midstride.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mad about me? Really?” Rings of blush formed on your cheeks. “What makes you think so?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He only really listens to you. Do you think if I asked him not to enter the tournament that he would’ve listened? Absolutely not!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You scuffed your heeled feet on the stone tiling. “Yeah, but I’m persuasive. I haven’t known him half as long as you have.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beatrice moved her hands erratically to emphasize her words. “That’s exactly my point! Diggory has been friends with you for what? 3 years, maybe? And he acts like he’s known you your whole life. Don’t stand here and pretend that the boy doesn’t like you even a little.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Your heart swelled. Maybe Beatrice had a point. Even if he did like you, you were still nervous about asking him to the ball. Beatrice seemed to sense that uncertainty in you and placed a comforting hand on your shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Worst he’ll do is say no. And if he does say no, pretend like you were asking him as a friend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah, Beatrice. Always with the sage wisdom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her words were the reason that you darted into the Hufflepuff common room in hopes of spotting a familiar mop of blond curls. However, he was nowhere to be seen. You huffed, exiting the common room. As soon as you stepped out, you heard voices down the hall. You hated eavesdropping but you felt as if your feet were bolted the floor, leaving you no choice but to listen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know why you’re so nervous around me,” Cedric’s voice sounded, echoing all around you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why’s that?” an unfamiliar girl’s voice replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You fancy me, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I...what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Your heart dropped into your stomach. You felt as if you were going to be sick. Every part of your body screamed for you to run but you still couldn’t move.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I fancy you, too,” admitted Cedric. “Would you go to the ball with me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hot tears pooled in your eyes and you finally were able to pull yourself away, darting back into the common room. You marched up the stairs to your dorm, cheeks turning red from embarrassment at all the eyes on you. Once you made it to your bed, you drew the curtains, reprimanding yourself for being so foolish to think Cedric Diggory would ever like you back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Yule Ball was tomorrow and you weren’t going. Not with Cedric, not with your friends, not by your lonesome. You just wouldn’t do it. You didn’t think you could bear the sight of Cedric with another girl. It was unfair to him, really, because you should be happy for him― he was your friend! But you knew it would hurt too much which is why you were in a rotten mood for the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Professor McGonagall, I can work on my essay myself-” you begged. McGonagall tutted, shaking her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Miss (Y/L/N), you don’t get that option anymore. Mr. Diggory and yourself will be working together in my classroom </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I will be in my office if you need me but I expect you two to be working. If this essay is not finished by tonight, you won’t receive a grade for it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Your eyes trailed after McGonagall as she left the room, your gaze locking on Cedric at the back. You felt a pit form in your stomach and your mind began to race for an excuse but there was no point; you couldn’t risk failing an essay just because you had a stupidly huge crush on your best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>You barely managed to get your words before Cedric blurted, “I know why you’re so nervous around me!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You blinked in shock. Wait, didn’t Cedric say that to the girl last night? You pushed down that memory, not wanting to dredge up your sorrows in front of the person who caused them. Everything that was going on was a whole new range of terrible. So instead of focusing on how awful and anxious you felt, you cleared your throat and asked, “Why’s that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Way to avoid the topic, you scolded yourself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You swore you saw Cedric let out a sigh of relief. He sucked in a sharp breath, exhaling as if he were trying to calm himself down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You fancy me, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nope, time to run. In fight or flight, you were almost always flight. As you ran towards the door and pushed past Cedric, your body went rigid recalling the memory from two nights ago. You slowly turned around, cocking your hip as you studied the boy in front of you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, what is this? Some sort of prank?” you hissed. Now it was Cedric’s turn to be shocked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pardon?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I heard you with some girl the other night saying the exact same thing. I’m not a practice dummy, Cedric. You could really hurt someone’s feelings.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You heard me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not by choice,” you grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was practicing asking </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> out! Cho was pretending to be you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You scoffed. “Yeah, and next thing you’ll be saying is you want to take me to the Yule Ball, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes!” he exclaimed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked up to you so your faces were only inches apart. You held your breath at the closeness, feeling his own breath fan over your face. The way he smelled drove you absolutely crazy: it was like fresh laundry and grass stains, like vanilla and sandalwood. It overloaded your senses but you feigned calm, acting like it didn’t have you weak in the knees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, (Y/N),” he whispered, “I get nervous around you, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before you could respond, Cedric leaned in to place a chaste kiss against your lips. Your eyes were wide with shock. As Cedric pulled away, he began to laugh at your expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Data shows that first kisses typically happen on the first date, but it never gets any more heated than a peck, really, but we haven’t even been on a-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cedric silenced your anxious chatter with another kiss and your eyes fluttered shut at the sensation. You finally relaxed into his arms, your own hands snaking around the back of his neck. When he pulled away, you met his eyes with a soft smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you a little less nervous now?” he asked. You bit your lip in thought, tilting your head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One more for good measure?”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>follow me on tumblr (@15-dogs) and wattpad (@15dogs)!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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